1. INTRODUCTION

Starting a car wash was the furthest thing from his mind when Brett Hart graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1995, Hart instantly put his criminal justice degree to work and joined the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as a patrolman.

Four years later, Hart was exploring self-storage investment opportunities in Charlotte, North Carolina with a commercial real estate broker when they discovered a good car wash site. The broker had recently advised another client to invest in the car wash business and knew a good car wash site when he saw one.

Hart acted quickly and enlisted the services of Howco to help guide him through the process of building, supplying, and opening a few car washes in North Carolina.  Hart established his flagship operation, Carolina Springs AutoSpa in Cornelius, NC in 2000 with an express wash and multiple detail offerings.

“We’ve had Howco technicians on-site on multiple occasions late into the night to address issues after hours, so I can operate normally during the day. That attitude and customer loyalty are invaluable in keeping our business open and available to customers. I plan to use Howco henceforth as we expand our car wash investment. They truly understand the car wash business and what it means for a small operator like me,” Hart concluded.

In April 2008, he expanded in North Charlotte with another car wash and auto detailing, including a lube center. The car wash business was thriving, but Hart eventually found that the lube component was not part of his preferred car wash business plan. When he received an attractive offer to sell the location in 2018, he jumped at the opportunity to re-invest in another car wash location. 

Slated to open in June 2019, Carolina Springs Autospa in Kannapolis, NC is a conversion from an in-bay automatic to a conveyor express wash with an elaborate vacuum station. 

“I consider Howco to be a vital partner in our car wash business,” elaborated owner Hart. “I’ve also worked at times with other suppliers of car wash equipment and supplies, but Howco’s service, equipment, chemicals, guidance, and hands-on dedication to helping make me successful is unsurpassed in my experience. 

 

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